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is Your One-Stop-Shop for Granite, Marble and Other Natural Stone & Tile Care Products

Nothing compares to the elegance and beauty of natural stone.

Natural Stone Care Tips from Stone Buff

It delivers both unmatched beauty and practicality making it an investment you will never regret. But once you have it, how do you take care of it? The truth is, with very little effort, your natural stone will give you years and years of low maintenance service.

Many of the products on the market today are not pH balanced for your surfaces. Ever wonder why your toilet keeps staining? Toilet bowl cleaner is an acid based cleaner. Water activates acid. So as you are cleaning your toilet with a toilet bowl cleaner you are etching the porcelain in your toilet, opening pores allowing it to take on stains.

What most people don't think of is that the pH blanace of cleaners to our surfaces are just as important as the pH of products we use for our own bodies. Now that doesn't mean this is a complicated thing. In fact, most people over complicate surface care and want to go out and buy all these really expensive products. There is no need to do that. Just keep in mind that you want to use a product with a pH neutral for daily cleaning. How can you tell what the pH is in a product? You can ask the manufacturer or look up the MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheet). For daily cleaning it is best to use a product with a pH balance between 7.0 and 7.12 which is pH neutral.

On the left is a link to Stonecare Central. This is a store we buy all of our supplies from. Why? Because they have the proven products that will get the job done while preserving and maintaining all surfaces. Stonecare Central puts all of their products out on the field to PROS like us and have us all test them and give feedback before even placing them in the store. Stonecare Central is a great resource for affordable surface care products and this is why we highly recommend using their products.

Download and print our free care guide and refer to this page to arm you with everything you need to know about caring for and maintaining your natural stone and tile.

ESSENTIAL CARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR NATURAL STONE SURFACES

Cleaning Procedures & Recommendations

General Cleaning Clean stone surfaces with a neutral cleaner designated safe for natural stone. Use a clean mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results. Don't use more than the recomended amount of any cleaning product. Too much may leave a film, causing streaks. Change rinse water frequently. Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble, travertine or limestone as these can etch the surface of the stone. Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface.

Floor Surfaces (For newly installed/restored floors, refer to our Care Guide for important instructions.) Dust mop interior floors frequently using a clean non-treated dry dust mop. Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Mats or area rugs inside and outside an entrance will help to minimize the sand, dirt and grit that can scratch a stone floor. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug is a non-slip surface. Do not use vacuum cleaners that are worn, the metal or plastic attachments may scratch the surface. Consult the Care Guide or the Solution Center at StoneCareCentral.com that provides detailed instructions on properly caring for your floors

Bath and Other Wet Areas In the bath/ shower or other wet areas, soap scum can be minimized by using a squeegee after each use. Consult the Care Guide or the Solution Center at StoneCareCentral.com for detailed instructions and recommended products on how to remove soap scum as well as resolving other issues that can arise in a bath area.

Counter/Vanity Top Surfaces Clean your countertops daily with a soft cloth or paper towel and a residue free pH neutral cleaner designated safe for natural stone. Visit the Solutions Center at StoneCareCentral.com to identify the best products for your particular needs.

• If Streaking Occcurs
Buff the countertop with a clean white terry cloth or paper towel if streaking occurs.

• Use a Good Stone Polish Occasionally
Applying a good stone polish to the surface of the countertop will help prevent staining.

Countertops may need to have a penetrating sealer applied. If a sealer is applied, be sure that it is non-toxic and safe for use in food preparation surfaces. Consult the Care Guide or the Solution Center at StoneCareCentral.com that provides detailed instructions on the care of counter and vanity tops.

Outdoor Pool & Patio Areas In outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas, flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss.

Do's and Don'ts

Do dust mop floors frequently.
Do clean surfaces with a neutral stone cleaner.
Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing.
Do blot up spills immediately.
Do protect floor surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and counter top surfaces with coasters, trivets or placemats, particularly under those containing alcohol or citrus juices. Many common foods and drinks contain acids that will etch or dull the stone surface.
Don't place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
Don't use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine or onyx surfaces.
Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners.
Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
Don't mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas.

Stain Treatment and Other Issues

If possible, immediately blot spills with a clean paper towel. If something has soaked into the stone and stained it, a poultice may need to be applied. Consult the Care Guide or the Solution Center at StoneCareCentral.com that provides detailed instructions on how to treat a host of possible stains as well as resolve other issues

Sealing

We seal every stone that requires it before we install it, but a reapplication needs to be done periodically. You can purchase the product and do it yourself, or contact us to perform the service for you. Consult the Solution Center at StoneCareCentral.com for more information about when and how to apply sealer. stonehenge